Storing mechanism for tobacco-gathering machine

ABSTRACT

The tobacco heads caught and cut by the machine are carried along through a pin extending across their stalks towards a succession of similar rotary pusher members urging the tobacco heads along overlapping paths, so as to fill in succession a horizontal tube which is thenafter caused to drop onto collecting means. The tubes to be thus filled are brought in succession in an operative filling position as provided by their lying horizontally in adjacent relationship on a sloping plane.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,921,824

Larroche 1 Nov. 25, 1975 [5 STORING MECHANISM FOR 2,564,614 8 1951 Sowers 56 275 TOBACCO-GATHERING MACHINE 1652932 9/1953 2,923,116 2/1960 Brown 56/275 [76] Inventor: Jean-Baptiste Larroche, SL800 l l Cours Pasteur France Primary Examiner-Frank E. Werner [22] Filed: July 13, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Pierce, Scheffler & Parker [211 Appl. No: 378,900

[ ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data The tobacco heads caught and cut by the machine are July 19. 1972 France 72.25959 Carried along through a P extending across hair stalks towards a succession of similar rotary pusher n 214 2 214/519 members urging the tobacco heads along overlapping [52] U.S. Cl.

51 Int. cm ..'A21B 1/06 Paths, so as to fill in 5110995810 3 horizontal tube [58] Field of Search 214/83, 83.1, 519, 5,5, which is thenafter caused to drop Onto Collecting 214/1 P 56/275 means. The tubes to be thus filled are brought in succession in an operative filling position as provided by [56] References Cited their lying horizontally in adjacent relationship on 21 UNITED STATES PATENTS Slopmg Planel,l34,206 4/1915 King 56/275 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet20f6 3,921,824

Sheet 3 of 6 US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 I I 3 a I. I I. I. I I. I. I.

US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 4 of6 US. Patent Nov.25, 1975 Sheet5of6 3,921,824

US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 6 of6 3,921,824

STORING MECHANISM FOR. TOBACCO-GATHERING MACHINE My invention has for its object an apparatus for the storing of tobacco stalks cut off by a tobacco-gathering machine of the type disclosed in the French Patent No. l,582,549 filed on July 3, 1968.

Such a machine includesmeans for catching individually each tobacco stalk; means for cutting the tobacco stalks which have been thus caught and meansconstituted by one or more pivoting arms adapted to convey the cut stalks towards the rear end of the machine and to simultaneously turn them over through 180, so that the stalks may be fed separately in a reversed upside down position into the storing means According to a prior embodiment, it has been proposed to provide storing means including an endless belt carrying horizontal pins adapted to hold fast the stalks fed by the pivoting arms; it has been found however that such storing means do not work satisfactorily and my invention has for its object storing means to be substituted for those precedingly in use.

Said storing means are designed so as to arrange the tobacco-stalks, fed upside down, in side by side relationship on horizontal bars which are then set in their turn side by side in parallelism onsupports located at the rear end of the machine, so that they may be conveyed in groups and finally housed in drying sheds.

By way of example and in order to further the under standing of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings: 7

FIG. 1, a general perspective view of a tobacco-gathering machine of a known type incorporating storing means, also of a known type.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view at three-quarters from the front of my improved storing means.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view at three-quarters from the rear of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view corresponding to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a simplified side elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view from above of last-mentioned mechanism.

Turning to FIG. 1, it is apparent that the machine resting on the wheels 1 is coupled with a tractor, which is not illustrated, through a pole 2, said wheels being provided with means adapted to drive all the mechanisms incorporated with the machine. It is possible, without modifying the operation of the machine, to substitute for such a drive through the wheels 1, a drive operated by an auxiliary engine.

As the machine progresses, the tobacco-stalks set in rows with a uniform spacing pass between the rails 5 and are caught in succession by the gripper 9 carried by the rotary member 7, after which, they are cut by a circular saw 6 and conveyed again by the same gripper 9 towards the jaws 43-44 of a further gripper carried by an arm 41. Said gripper 43-44 closes over each stalk while the gripper 9 opens; this being done, the arm 41 rises through a rearward tilting by 180, so that the tobacco-stalk is fed upright to the storing means.

In the precedingly used machines, the stalk was caught by a third gripper 69 carried at the end of an arm assuming a reciprocatory movement, so as to set the stalks on pins 72 carried by an endless conveyor 2 belt 71. The stalks were thus fed rearwardly and grouped into sheaths.

Such means for removing and storing the stalks did not prove satisfactory and it has been found necessary to substitute for them the novel arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 6. The chassis 4 shown in said figures extends rearwardly so as to carry the said arrangement which is driven by a pinion keyed to the driving shaft22 controlling the operation of the rocking arm 41. Said pinion on the shaft 22 drives through a chain a pinion keyed to a shaft 91 carried by the chassis and carrying two bevel wheels 92 and 94. The bevel pinion '92 drives a further bevel pinion 93 keyed to a vertical shaft carrying a horizontal plate 97 provided at its periphery with a stud 98. At the opposite end of the shaft 91, the bevel pinion 94 drives a further bevel pinion 95 rigid with the vertical shaft 99 the upper end of which carries a pinion 100 operatively connected through a chain with a pinion 101.

Said pinion 101 is keyed to a shaft carrying a pusher member P, which is the first ofa row of say. 12 pushers members, all similar and arranged along a line perpendicular to the line of progression of the machine. These pusher members are carried and driven by a series of similar chains and pinions so as to all move simultaneously at the same speed.

By way ofa modification. the series of pinions identical with the pinion 101, which are interconnected two by two by means of chains. may be replaced by a worm engaging the different pinions carrying the pusher members P.

Each pusher member P is made of two parts located at two different levels, which prevents them hitting one another during their rotation.

The shaft 91 carries at one end a further pinion 102 connected through a chain with the pinion 103, which latter drives a shaft 104 to'which is keyed a pinion 105 meshing with a larger diameter pinion 106 which revolves consequently at a slower rate than the pinion 102 and in a reversed direction.

The large pinion I06 drives through a chain 107 a pinion 108 keyed to a shaft 109 carrying two further plates 110a and 11012 facing each other symmetrically. To said further plates are secured rods Illa and lllb carrying at their outer ends flat rounded parts 112a and ll2b associated with stops 113a and 1l3b.

Said arms 111a and lllb are adapted to grasp, for

each revolution of the plates 110a and 110b, tubes adapted to carry tobacco heads, 'which tubes are held fast, between successive revolutions by suitable means disclosed hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 illustrates such means as seen at three quarters from the rear. It shows two sloping flat iron bars 114a and ll4b carried by corresponding transverse pivots 116a and 116!) revolvably fitted in their bearings 119a and 11% rigid with the chassis 4. At about midlength. each flat bar ll4a-1l4b carries laterally a plate ll Sa-llSb provided with a stud ll7a-l 17b slidingly engaging two portsextending through both flanges of a sloping channel iron forming part of the chassis 4 against the pressure of a spring l18a-ll8b bearing against 'said chassis. The upper ends of said studs ll7a-l17b project above the channel iron and form thus collapsible abutments for the'successive tubes 120 resting on a sloping surface incorporated with the chas- SIS.

Each pivot or spindle 116a-116b carries also an arm l2la-l2lb rigid through a transverse rod 122a-l22b 3 with a stop I23a-l23b constituted by a flat iron bar. the end of which is bent so as to form a hook.

The pivots or spindles 116a and 1161; also carry in alignment with the arms l2lul2lb and in the opposite direction. a flat iron bar 124u-124b to the end of which is pivotally secured another flat iron bar l25a125b, the outer part of which is bent twice through 90 and I includes at the upper end of its extremefolded part a port 126a-l26b (FIG. 4) forming a bearing for an arcuate rod 127a-127b rigid with a slightly bent flat iron bar 128a128b extending across the end of said arcuate rod. The upper end of each flat iron bar 128al28b is pivotally secured to the end of the channel iron already referred to as forming part of the chassis. while its lower end is bent into hook-shape. The arcuate rod l27a127b slidingly engages a port 129a129b, extending through a plate 130a-l30b rigid with the chassis, against the pressure of a spring l31a-131b.

The outside of the flat iron bars l28a-l28b form slideways" for the guiding metal sheets l3la-l32b.

In FIGS. 3 to 6, there is shown, on the one hand, how the series of l2 pusher members is positioned underneath the above-described retaining means and, on the other hand, how the tubes 120 resting in the hookshaped ends of the slideway bars l28a-l28b are aligned with a tubular guiding rail 133 extending over the plate 97 along an arc of 180 having the same radius. Another rail 134 lies in parallelism with the rail 133 and both rails are bent at their ends through 90 so as to enter the path of the horizontal reeiprocatory arm 65.

'Between the plate 97 and the rails l33134 there is provided a clamping or nailing mechanism 135 of a well-known type extending upwardly in an oblique direction.

Beyond the retaining means the grouping system (FIG. includes two incurved slideways l36a136b extending into horizontal rectilinear slideways 137a-137k located at a slightly lower level and welded each to J-shaped supports 138-138 and 139-139 (FIG. 2). Said supports subjected to the pressure of the springs 148 are pivotally carried at 140, 140' and 141, 141 and are also pivotally secured at 142, 142' and 143, 143' to the rods 144a and 144b respectively. Said rods l44a144b are provided with two joints 145a-145b having vertical axes while an X-shaped stay 146 interconnecting the rods 144a-144b is carried by the end of the operative rod ofajack 147 carried by the chassis 4.

The operation of the machine described hereinabove is as follows:

At the end of the stroke, the horizontal arm 65 (FIG. 1) sets the tobacco stalk caught by the gripper-jaw 43 at the input end of the guiding rails 133 and 134. As it impinges against the bent rail 133, the stalk actuates a switch which is not illustrated for sake of clarity and which controls the nailing mechanism 135. Said nailing mechanism sets a nail partly through the stalk, said nail projecting beyond the stalk downwardly at an angle of about 45.

This being done, the stud 98 on the plate 97 (FIG. 2) pushes the nail in the stalk resting on the rail 133 towards the input end of a tube 120.

-At the same time, the 12 pusher members P execute each a complete revolution and the first pushermember causes, during its next revolution, the tobacco-stalk to enter the tube 120 while the next stalk is fed along the rail 133 by the stud 98.

When a third stalk is fed between the rails 133 and 134, the second pusher member P engages the first stalk while the first pusher member P pushes the sec ond stalk along and so on.

The pinions and 106 are designed in a manner such that the plates 110a and llOb and consequently the arms Illa-l1 lb execute only I revolution for each 12 revolutions of the pusher members P. During their rotation (FIGS. 2 and 5) the ends 112a-ll2b of the arms 11la1l1b push the tube finally carrying 12 tobacco-heads onto the slidewayys l36a136b and simultaneously the stops l13a-113b on said ends engage the flat iron bars 114a1l4b so as to make the pivots 116a-1l6b rock whereupon the different parts enter the positions illustrated in dot-and dash lines in FIG. 4.

The flat iron bars or stops 123a-123b engage through their ends the last tube 120 but one resting on the chassis; the studs 117al17b collapse and release the last tube 120 which enters a position in which it is held by the hooks terminating the two slideways 128a-128b.

Preferably, one or more stationary or movable stops such as 148 (FIG. 3) prevent the released tube 120 from moving beyond the desired position.

The movements of the two arms 1llal 1 lb continue and the tube 120 carrying I2 heads of tobacco slides along the slideways l36a-136b. When the arms l1la*111b reach a vertical position, the tube 120 drops onto the horizontal slideways 137a-137b which lie at a slightly lower level so as to allow the arms Illa-Illb to continue their rotation and to execute a further cycle.

The lengths of the slideways 137a-137b are sufficient for said slideways to store about 50 to 60 tubes 120 carrying tobacco heads.

When the slideways are fully loaded, the hydraulic jack 147 is operated so as to lower the system including the X-shaped stay 146 and the rods 144a and l44b. This results in an inward rocking of the four .I-shaped supports 138, 138'; 139, 139' whereby the two slideways 137a and l37b are shifted apart, so that the loaded tubes 120 drop onto a metal support constituted by two parallel gantries carried by a trailer, not illustrated, which is brought for this purpose underneath the machine.

What I claim is:

l. A mechanism for storing tobacco stalks gathered by an automatic machine of the type having means for individually catching successive tobacco stalks. cutting said stalks, turning them upside down and presenting them to the rear of the gathering machine, said storing mechanism comprising a sloping surface adapted to carry a plurality of horizontal tubes in parallelism;

two movable collapsible sloping supports situated at the lower extremity of said sloping surface, the ends of said supports being adapted to hold one tube in an operative position;

feeding means adapted to slide successive tobacco stalks along said tube;

means for collapsing said supports when said tube is loaded with a predetermined number of stalks, such collapse releasing said loaded tube;

means for allowing only one of the tubes carried in parallelism on said sloping surface to slide on said movable supports upon collapsing of said supports; horizontal storing slideways, and

means for urging said loaded tube on said storing slideways when released.

2. A mechanism for storing tobacco stalks gathered by an automatic machine of the type having means for individually catching successive tobacco stalks, cutting said stalks, turning them upside down and presenting them to the rear of the gathering machine. said storing mechanism comprising a sloping surface adapted to carry a plurality of horizontal tubes in parallelism;

two movable collapsible sloping supports situated at the lower extremity of said sloping surface, the ends of said supports being adapted to hold one tube in an operative position;

means controlling the shifting of the tubes in succession over said surface into said position upon collapsing of the supports and release of the foremost tube;

horizontal storing slideways and means for urging each successive foremost tube when released onto said storing slideways,

the feeding means being adapted to make the successive cut tobacco stalks slide along the foremost tube;

the mechanism further including means collapsing the supports when a predetermined number of stalks has entered said lowermost tube.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feeding means include nailing means adapted to push a pin obliquely through each successive tobacco stalk, two parallel rails extending along half-circles, fed by the cutting means, means guiding the stalk-carrying pins along the half circular paths afforded by said nails, a plurality of pusher members adapted to execute each 6 one revolution to thereby shift in succession the successive stalks over overlapping paths along a horizontal tube set in an operative position.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feeding means include nailing means adapted to push a pin obliquely through each successive tobacco stalk, two parallel rails extending along half-circles, fed by the cutting means, means guiding the stalk-carrying pins along the half-circular paths afforded by said nails, a plurality of pusher members adapted to execute each one revolution to thereby shift in succession the successive stalks over overlapping paths along a horizontal tube set in an operative position, said mechanism including furthermore a shaft adapted to execute one revolution each time the pusher members have exe cuted a number of revolutions equal to their number, two plates carried by said shaft, an arm rigid with each plate, and means whereby said arms cause said supports to collapse when the operative tube has been filled with tobacco stalks, and a collecting slideway onto which the tube released upon collapse of its support drops.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the feeding means further include two levers normally engaging the tube adjacent the operative tube and released upon collapsing of the supports to allow said adjacent tube to enter in its turn the operative position.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, comprising a jack urging a loaded slideways rearwardly to allow the tubes to drop and be removed. 

1. A mechanism for storing tobacco stalks gathered by an automatic machine of the type having means for individually catching successive tobacco stalks, cutting said stalks, turning them upside down and presenting them to the rear of the gathering machine, said storing mechanism comprising a sloping surface adapted to carry a plurality of horizontal tubes in parallelism; two movable collapsible sloping supports situated at the lower extremity of said sloping surface, the ends of said supports being adapted to hold one tube in an operative position; feeding means adapted to slide successive tobacco stalks along said tube; means for collapsing said supports when said tube is loaded with a predetermined number of stalks, such collapse releasing said loaded tube; means for allowing only one of the tubes carried in parallelism on said sloping surface to slide on said movable supports upon collapsing of said supports; horizontal storing slideways, and means for urging said loaded tube on said storing slideways when released.
 2. A mechanism for storing tobacco stalks gathered by an automatic machine of the type having means for individually catching successive tobacco stalks, cutting said stalks, turning them upside down and presenting them to the rear of the gathering machine, said storing mechanism comprising a sloping surface adapted to carry a plurality of horizontal tubes in parallelism; two movable collapsible sloping supports situated at the lower extremity of said sloping surface, the ends of said supports being adapted to hold one tube in an operative position; means controlling the shifting of the tubes in succession over said surface into said position upon collapsing of the supports anD release of the foremost tube; horizontal storing slideways and means for urging each successive foremost tube when released onto said storing slideways, the feeding means being adapted to make the successive cut tobacco stalks slide along the foremost tube; the mechanism further including means collapsing the supports when a predetermined number of stalks has entered said lowermost tube.
 3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feeding means include nailing means adapted to push a pin obliquely through each successive tobacco stalk, two parallel rails extending along half-circles, fed by the cutting means, means guiding the stalk-carrying pins along the half circular paths afforded by said nails, a plurality of pusher members adapted to execute each one revolution to thereby shift in succession the successive stalks over overlapping paths along a horizontal tube set in an operative position.
 4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the feeding means include nailing means adapted to push a pin obliquely through each successive tobacco stalk, two parallel rails extending along half-circles, fed by the cutting means, means guiding the stalk-carrying pins along the half-circular paths afforded by said nails, a plurality of pusher members adapted to execute each one revolution to thereby shift in succession the successive stalks over overlapping paths along a horizontal tube set in an operative position, said mechanism including furthermore a shaft adapted to execute one revolution each time the pusher members have executed a number of revolutions equal to their number, two plates carried by said shaft, an arm rigid with each plate, and means whereby said arms cause said supports to collapse when the operative tube has been filled with tobacco stalks, and a collecting slideway onto which the tube released upon collapse of its support drops.
 5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the feeding means further include two levers normally engaging the tube adjacent the operative tube and released upon collapsing of the supports to allow said adjacent tube to enter in its turn the operative position.
 6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, comprising a jack urging a loaded slideways rearwardly to allow the tubes to drop and be removed. 